Landowners across ten counties are being invited to apply for a ground-breaking new scheme from the Woodland Trust. The grant has been pioneered by our own Niel Nicholson, who has spent the last two years developing the new TRUSTwoods scheme with the Woodland Trust, to offer expert advice and generous financial support to landowners Read more »
With the increase in the trade of plants over the last decades, the risk of introducing new pests and diseases has increased. Given favourable weather conditions and a lack of natural enemies, they can spread and lead to environmental damage, destruction of native plant species, substantial economic losses in agricultural production and an increase in Read more »
As the days draw in and Christmas inevitably begins to loom on the horizon, hundreds of thousands of Christmas trees will soon be freshly cut in Europe and freighted over to the UK. Although unlikely to be encountered, readers should keep a watchful eye out for signs of Pine Processionary Moth (PPM). Read more »
In an era where threats to plant health are a serious issue, this presentation highlighted the importance for all stakeholders in any plant sales or movements to understand the chain of custody for those plants. It looked at some of the national bodies with an interest in plant health and what they are doing Read more »
Common Ash is one of the UK’s most versatile tree species and makes up 12% of the UK’s Broadleaf Woodlands. However, ash dieback is now present across the UK and forecast to ultimately infect 95% of woodland ash, of which 85% are expected to die within 15 years of infection. The impact is expected Read more »
Notifiable Pests & Diseases Quarantine organisms which are subject to statutory control have to be reported if you suspect they, or host materials are present. These have to be reported if being imported/exported. If you suspect a notifiable you should quarantine suspicious item(s) immediately, and immediately contact the Animal & Plant Health Agency or Read more »
By Dan Lazarou-West As a forester, I can at least take some pleasure in knowing that part of my job is helping to combat climate change. However - and related to an earlier blog regarding plastic use in woodlands - how much of a difference can we make? The following may make for grim Read more »
By Dan Lazarou-West People sometimes ask me at parties, (yes, I still get invited to parties) which is the best type of wood to burn. And although, like many, I have a wood burning stove at home, I don’t always have a satisfactory answer to hand. At best people lose interest before I finish Read more »
Ash dieback is caused by a fungus called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus and was first formally identified in the UK in 2012; but perhaps has been in the UK as far back as 2004. It is characterised by wilting of foliage and subsequent blackening of leaves. Branches are girdled by the fungus, often with compensatory regrowth Read more »
The Trust for Oxfordshire’s environment (TOE2) and Network Rail are working together to bring a funding scheme targeted at the creation and improvement of woodland and scrub habitat. This is an exciting funding opportunity to boost biodiversity in Oxfordshire and Berkshire. The fund aims to compensate for the unavoidable habitat lost that occurred during the Read more »
Ash, (Fraxinus excelsior) is one of the UK’s most useful and versatile native tree species and has been planted extensively across the UK due to its quick growth rates, ability to tolerate a wide range of soils including lime heavy sites, and its light canopy which allows a rich understorey of plants to survive beneath Read more »
Published in October 2015, BS8596 is a comprehensive guide to surveying woodlands through to single trees for the presence of bats. This standard flows from the considered risk of tree operations on this part of the European Protected Species (EPS) family, and aims to give confidence to managers and surveyors alike as to a reasonable Read more »
If you were told that by 2050 the Cotswolds would experience average temperatures similar to the central and south of France – would you believe it? And that is what official guidance from the Forestry Commission and Forest Research is telling us to expect. Yes, a northerly shift in temperatures of two to five degrees Read more »
In early February, the NFU (National Farmers' Union) in conjunction with Nicholsons delivered a series of presentations looking at woodland planting to counteract water quality and flooding concerns. Across England there are significant targets to reduce flood risk and improve the water quality of our rivers, and new and existing woodlands have a role to Read more »
Media talk of Ash dieback has seemed quieter in the past twelve months, but the problem hasn’t slipped away. On the ground, Ash Dieback (now identified as the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) is moving. It has specific concentrations in Kent and East Anglia, but 2015 saw a significant increase in positive identifications across England, Scotland & Read more »
The Woodland Creation Grant application window is now open, with the deadline for submissions being the 31st of March 2016. Targeting water quality concerns, flood mitigation and biodiversity benefits, the grant is the most generous we have seen, with a maximum level of support on offer of £6800 per hectare. Applications tackling the water issues Read more »
I read a few sad cases in the press last year of horses dying following ingestion of Sycamore seeds, which led to an understandable run of enquiries from concerned clients. With a life threatening condition such as this, you need to know and understand the causes, symptoms and means of prevention, to keep the risk Read more »
